Sucker rod guide



March 2, 1948.

J. W. GILLESPIE SUCKER RQD GUIDE Filed Aug. 24, 1944 INVENTOR.

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arrozezvey Patented Mar. 2, 1948 UNITED 1 STATES aPATENT OFFICE SUCKERROD GUIDE J W. Gillespie, Henderson, Tex. Application August 24, 1944,SerialNo. 551,039

clined or spiral so that the string of flexible rods extending into thewell is inclined to rub against the tubing 01' pipe through which theoil is being pumped. In order to guide the rods and avoid wear on thetubing suitable guides are connected to the metal rods in orderto centerthe rods in the pipe or tubing while permitting the flow of oil past theguide.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a suckerrod guide which is made up of an integral block of wood or suitablematerial which is so grooved and slotted that it can be tilted laterallyof the rod, applied thereto and then turned to a positionrooncentricwith the rod so as to lock the guide against release so long as it isconfined in substantial alignment with the rod. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide a non-metallic sucker rodguide having a cross slot adjacent its middle which joins twodiametrically opposite slots, one of which is at each end of the guide.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sucker rod guide'havinga longitudinal slot extending inwardly from each end thereof where theslots are on opposite sides of the center and where the slots are joinedby a transverse recess or groove adjacent the middle of the guide.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sucker rod guide whichi's'arranged to be fitted laterally against the rod in an inclinedposition and then tilted into alignment with the rod toautomaticallylock itself against removal.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an integralone-piece sucker rod guide which requires no bolts, fittings orattachments and which automatically locks itself to the rod when placedin operating position, d

Other and further objects of the invention will be readily apparent whenthe following description is considered in connection with theaccompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one side of a sucker rod to which theguide has been applied and illustrates the locking portions to hold theguide in place. I

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the other side of the sucker rod guide.

6Claims. 303-4 I 2 Figs. 4 and are sectional views taken on the lines4-4 and 5--5 of Figs. 1 and 3 respectively.

In Fig. 1 a sucker rod is illustrated at 2 and is usually of steel andmay be 30 to 40 feet in length. The rod shown in approximately actualsize.

This rod has a squared shank or section 3 thereon. by whichv a wrench orother tool may be applied in order to turn the rod and cause thethreaded shank 4 to engage with the socket of the next adjacent rod. Theflange 5 abuts against the end'of the socket to form a tight connection.

The [squared section 3 is defined by the enlarged or belied portion 1. I

'The sucker rod guide I 0 is shown as having been applied to the rod sothat'the surface H thereof will form a guiding surface and slide on theinner surface of the tubing in which the rod is to reciprocate.

Heretofore various types of guides have been provided which weregenerally constructed of one or more parts which had to be fixedtogether about the rod to hold them in place. Considerable diificultyhas been encountered with screws and bolts, clamps and other fittingsfor holding the parts of the guide together because due to' the shockand vibration and the passing stream of oil the guides soon becameloosened and very often the parts were dropped into the well.

The present guide contemplates a single body member having noattachments, fittings, screws or bolts which can come loose or fall off.but where the guide can be automatically locked to the rod without anyother attachments to either secure it or to thereafter hold it in place.

The drawings show that the guide I0 is made up of a cylindrical body I4which may be of a suitable material such as hard wood and which has beenturned in the form of a cylinder with the rounded ends l5 so that theperiphery is merged with the flat end l6.

While it is stated that the guide may be made of hard wood, it seemsobvious that it may be made of any suitable material or that it may bemolded or cast of suitable materials or metals such as-brass, cast iron,or of non-metallic material. Hard wood or wood treated to harden it aswith uric acid may be used.

The guide is of peculiar configuration in order to permit its attachmentto the rod without the use 'ofother fittings.

The side view in Fig. 3 illustrates a transverse inclined groove 20which is of a width somewhat greater than the diameter of the rod 2 andit will be noted that this groove is inclined at about 30 with thehorizontal. This groove as seen in Figs. l and2 extends radially inwardto the central ehtranceiorthe rod Z-a's best seen in Fig. 5; Theslot 22may have the straight walls 24 and a beveled or flared entry 25.

somewhat similar slot or opening 23 "formed" therein Where the centralopening .ZH'haES-JIUBBHL tilted and moved laterally to pass saidinclined slot portion over the rod and the body then turned to pass thefirst two portions over the rod to locknthe guide to the rod so long asthe guide is retained in a pipe, one of said slots being shaped tointerfit a portion of the rod to hold the guide fixed on the rod.

2. A sucker rod guide comprising an integral ,body of material,:a slotalong theaxis of the body, said-slot being'of an inverted bell shape tohave a portion open out through the body for one half for the block,another portion open out through The upper end 21 of the guide bodyMahasa ansopposite side for the other half of the body and having aninclined portion joining the tWo extended out through the side orthebody. The, Y

only difference between this upperbpening 2'3 and the lower opening 22is that the upperhopening must be of a configuration to receive thesquared portion"; and ttheiflared pe-rtion 7! which are apart.ofvthe-rodh 1 Ihis stnucturetislbestseen inflig. 1'. where the opening;2I- .is' flared atim Lto receive; the ,flaredl ort on ii andsquared at.31 iltoireceivelthei square. portion. 3. Thiswslot may. be bevelednat345 to permitthe.ready entryofltlieiparts;

In ,aotualt use the guide IDL will'sbeptiltedrat :the

same angle as the crosstgroove 2101 with respect. to the axis; of.the-suckerwrodw. .Itwillthenhe. moved-laterallyiagainshthetrod-so thatthe=gr.oove.

26 passes about the. rod.. The-body -isfthen .tilted so as to move itinto axial alignmentiwithmherod to assume the-positions shown ;in,thesldrawings.

As this-tilting; movementoceursthe rodmoves" into the. grooves r22and.-2=3.-andthe -.fit of the parts is such that kther applicationaorta-firm pressure will cause the tapered portions 3fl land-1wtonwedgetogether at tthe 'same timeiathat ithe squared portions :3 (and: :31move'stogether. the tapereds portion-1 lit-huspfits into-an enlargedeircularrarea -duiinsidei of rthenhody. it seems tobvious that when:thevbody :is: turned; :about the, slotrzilrasthetcenterithat the:grooves 22! and-23. will: move =tot-iencloser-the iportions "ofrthevrodz When-the; guide :is: thuseappliedriand the-shod: low;-

ered' into:theztubingiitiseemsxclearzthat the guide cannot thereafter:iti'lti with erespeot. to the rod anywhereinearatl'iieie equired angleoriarcttospermit the. parts .33 21 1 to: move :ont'r of; the(00mplementary'zreeessesziin;the guiderbo'dy. 'I-f the guide cannot tiltrel'ative tori the rod: when itgis in 'the tubing", i then: ot courge;ztlien non circular and fiared E portions: i at: the: rod: andz=1therguide hold the guidesagainstuongitudinal: sliding movement to suchextent.-thatiitxwiihreciprocatewith the rods- I While' the: inventionLhasbe'en :particuiarly described as being a: guide made' of woo'd, itis to he understood that itwan-bemade 'of'metal' or non-metallic'nrater-ial and that it ma-y 'be of "different sizes and lengthsdepending up'on the'relativev sizes of theguides and the tubingi Broadlythe inventioncontemplates a selfaligning, self-locking sucker rod guid'ewhich is held in"positionconcentric with the axis of the tube of thesucker rod! What' is claimed is: a 1; Asucker rod guide'cornprisinganintegral body of material, a slot along "the axi's ofthe body,saidslotbeing or a-nlinverted bell shape to have a portion open outthrou'gh the body for one half of the block another portion open outthrough" an" opposite side for the other a half of the bodyanii'havihg-nn inclined portion joining the two first' portibns so -that thebody maybetrfirstportionsso that the body may be tilted .and moved.laterally to pass said inclined slot portion 'over "the rod and thebody then turned to'cpas'sthe first two portions over the rod to lockthe guide to the rod so long as the guide is retainedlin .apipe, one 'ofsaid .first slot portions being contoured to receive the squared area ofthe :sucker. rod so as to retain the guide against longitudinal movementonlthe rod.

3. selfvretaining and lockingsucker rod guide for: rods having a.squaredarea-land comprising acylindrical body, a circular openingthrough said body havingv an inverted bell shaped portion to fit.a:complementaryportion on the rod, a slot extending laterally into saidopening, said slot being cut to extend in.-'one radius for one half thebody, in an opposite-radiusfor the other half of the body andthaving'aninclined portionjoining such halves.

.4; A- self retainingand locking sucker rod guide for rods-comprising,arcylindrical body, a circular opening through said body, a slotextending laterally; into saidopening,'said slot being cut to extendinrone radiusior one-halfthebody, in an opposite radius for the otherhalf of the body and havingran inclined :portion'joining such halves,anarea oisaid openingbeing of aninverted bell shape to fit acomplementary area of the rod.

:5; Aesucker rodguide including-circular body, said rbody having a.central-rod receiving openingincluding aslot radially out through theblock in opposite directions in the opposite ends of the block, alateral slot portion merging said first s1ots-adjaeent thedmiddle of thebody so that the. bodyrmay. .be tilted, applied to the rod and then.turned 'toa position concentric with the rod; saidfirst slot havingianinverted bell shaped area-thereincontoured to receive-and retain acomplementary portion of the sucker rod.

6; A sucker rod. g-uideincluding circular body, saidbody having acentral rodreceiving opening including a slot radially out through theblock in-opposite directions in the'opposite ends of the block andaslateral slot-portion merging 'said firstslots adjacent the middle ofthe body Number Name Date "1,766,070 Garrett June 24, 1930 1,845,365Thomson Feb. 16, 1932 inyer-ted bell shaped area on the-rod.

J; W. GILLESPIE.

REFERENCES CITED The 'followingreferencesare of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

